flyupinthesky 's review for:

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan

5.0

adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

This duology is perfect. I was on the edge of my seat for most of this book; the pace does not let up. The author seamlessly flows between different voices and pov. A master storyteller I am excited to see more of. The characters are rich and complex, and pretty much all of them could be considered “villains ”.  The depth of these characters, their relationships, alleigences, oaths and bonds stand out above their morals or policies. You might not like them but you believe in their decisions. The relationship certain characters have with gender and how it plays into espionage and bonds is beautiful.